Rhodolphus Thatcher (1647-1733)
}} Biography Rhodolphus Thatcher, (Latin for Ralph, sometimes written as Rodolphus), son of Rev. Thomas Thacher and Elizabeth Partridge, b. Jan. 1, 1646/7 at Weymouth, Massachusetts. His father had been ordained pastor of the Weymouth church in 1645 to succeed Rev. Samuel Newman, who had taken a considerable number of parishioners to settle Rehoboth, Mass. Rhodolphus' mother, Elizabeth Partridge, was the dau. of Rev. Ralph Partridge, the first pastor of the Duxbury, Mass. church. Thatcher Surname The Thacher surname is often found written as "Thatcher" in early New England and transcribed records, the result of phonetic spelling versus the family's actual surname. Duxbury Constable He was a constable at Duxbury in 1678 and served as the town's clerk from 1685 to 1694. In April of 1694 Rhodolphus and wife Ruth conveyed land at Duxbury to their son Thomas. Two months later in June 1694, Rhodolphus and wife Ruth, formerly of Duxbury now of Chilmark, Mass., conveyed land at Duxbury. Chilmark Congregational Church In 1697 Rhodolphus was installed pastor of the Cong. Church at Chilmark, Massachusetts. on the western end of Martha's Vineyard. He served that church until 1714, when he was succeeded by Rev. William Homes. Some of his children had moved from Chilmark to Lebanon, Connecticut. before 1705 and Rhodolphus and Ruth followed in 1715. Ruth (Partridge) Thacher died of record at Lebanon, Conn. Oct. 30, 1717. Marriage and Family On Jan. 5, 1669/70 at Duxbury, Massachusetts., Rhodolphus m. Ruth Partridge (1645-1717), dau. of George Partridge and Sarah Tracy of Duxbury. There is no proven kinship between Rev. Ralph Partridge and George Partridge, who resided at Duxbury at the same time. Rhodolphus and Ruth (Partridge) Thacher had nine children, all b. at Duxbury, Mass. The children of Rev. Rhodolphus Thacher and Ruth Partridge, all b. of record at Duxbury, Mass., are: # Thomas Thacher, b. Oct. 9, 1670; m. Mary Dean at Lebanon, Conn. Nov. 16, 1704. # Elizabeth Thatcher (1672-1729) b. Mar. 1, 1672/3; m. Sgt. Samuel Fuller Oct. 3, 1700. Their children are paternal descendants of Edward Fuller of the 1620 Mayflower passage. # Anna Thacher, b. Nov. 26, 1673; d. young at Duxbury Nov. 15, 1680. # Ruth Thacher, b. Nov. 1, 1675; no further record known. # Rhodolphus Thacher, Jr., b. Jan. 9, 1677/8; m. Patience Skiff of Tisbury, Mass.; resided at Chilmark, Mass. before relocating to Lebanon, Conn; purportedly m. 2) after 1756 his cousin the widow Deborah Tracy, wid. of Thomas Bourn. # Lydia Thacher, b. Jan. 24, 1679/80; m. June 10, 1709 at Martha's Vineyard, John Dean, s. of James Dean and Sarah Tisdale. Their first child, Silas, was born of record at Plainfield, Conn. Sept. 14, 1709, the father of Silas Dean, Jr., an important Patriot during the period of the American Revolutionary War. # Mary Thacher, b. Mar. 8, 1682/3; m. circa 1703 Benjamin Dimock, son of Shubael of Barnstable, Mass. and Mansfield, Conn.; they had a large family at Mansfield, Conn. where they both died. # Anna Thacher, b. Mar. 30, 1684; no further record known. # Rev. Peter Thacher, b. Aug. 17, 1686; m. Abigail Hibbard circa 1716 and resided at Lebanon, Conn. where they had a large family. Vital Records Killam Cemetery Gravestone Gravestone Location: Killam Cemetery, Preston, Connecticut Gravestone Inscription: "Here lies Buried ye Remains of the Man of God ye Reverend Minister of the Gospel Mr. Rodolphas Thecher Sen. pastor of ye Church of Christ in ye Toune of Chilmark in Marthas Vineyard in New England and Husband to Mrs. Ruth Thecher who After he Had Sarved God and his people fell Asleep in Jesus July 6, 1733 - aged 87 yrs" On the day Rhodolphus died he was 86 years old, and Ætatis suæ (i.e., Æ, "Aged," in the XX year of his Age) 87. Last Will and Probate He died testate at Groton, Connecticut. July 6, 1733, Æ 87. For six years prior to his death he was residing at Groton with the family of his son-in-law John Dean, and son-in-law Dean probably wrote Rhodolphus' will on Aug. 9, 1728 at Groton. References * Rev Rhodolphus Thatcher - FindAGrave Memorial #18638719